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Dream Theater - Images And Words review



Reviewer:
9.6

1957 users:
9.01
Band: Dream Theater
Album: Images And Words
Release date: July 1992


01. Pull Me Under
02. Another Day
03. Take The Time
04. Surrounded
05. Metropolis - Part I "The Miracle And The Sleeper"
06. Under A Glass Moon
07. Wait For Sleep
08. Learning To Live

This is it! My first Dream Theater review! I can say that this progressive band from New York is my favorite band and will still be in ten years from now. So, back in 1992, the band released their masterpiece "Images And Words" and after that nothing was going to be the same again in the musical world. Why? Well, because this album brought something totally new to the scene, this famous progressive metal sound that would become Dream Theater's signature and it would make them famous for being one of the most influential bands ever.

From the beginning, it's a totally different sound. With 'Pull Me Under', you are already able to foresee what is coming your way. Incredibly complex song structures, tremendous musicianship, perfect execution and an intriguing originality that makes you wonder "who are these guys"? Well, these guys are Mike Portnoy [drums], John Petrucci [guitars], John Myung [bass], Kevin Moore [keyboards] and James LaBrie [vocals], among who you already know Portnoy and Petrucci for sure, these two being all the time part of diverse side-projects and productions, but also often nominated when it's time to vote for best musicians awards. Let's say it loud: that was the best lineup they ever had, especially considering that James LaBrie was on top of his vocal abilities at that time. Kevin Moore is a really imaginative keyboard compositor and player, and paired with master Petrucci on guitars, they were something else. Regarding Mike Portnoy, whom I admire since I've listened for the first time to this album, he's probably the best "disciple" of Neil Peart [drummer of the Canadian combo Rush, Portnoy's number one source of inspiration, and probably the best drummer on earth]. John Myung is not any bass player either and you just need to see Dream Theater on stage or to watch any live videotape to understand why [tip: his fingers movements are amazing...]

Among the best moments of this amazing recording, which features only 8 songs but almost one hour of essential material, let's name the opening track 'Pull Me Under', 'Take The Time' [my favorite song ever], 'Metropolis Part I', 'Under A Glass Moon' and 'Learning To Live' as highlights. Now, some songs can be considered as fillers [especially 'Another Day' and 'Surrounded'] or even cheesy songs. You're the judge but as a whole, "Images And Words" is a masterpiece and also an historical album.

So if you don't know that one yet, try it, and if you don't like it at first, listen to it again. When you fully digest the complex compositions, you'll enjoy it as you enjoy nothing else. And if you don't, well, you will never like any kind of progressive metal [too bad for you!]. Oh by the way, I almost forget to tell you that "Images And Words" is a way to say "music and lyrics", which is not a bad image [or words ;-)].


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 10
Originality: 10
Production: 9





Written on 09.01.2004 by Bringing you reviews of quality music and interesting questions such as:

"A picture is worth a thousand words. How many words is a song worth?"

I have only got so much patience and skills, you do the math.


Comments page 2 / 2

Comments: 51   Visited by: 394 users
16.06.2009 - 19:23
Nosurper
Stinky Lips
Well i wouldn't say it's boring..however, I will say that this album comes off to me as a sibling Kansas album. The only difference is Dream Theater injects a splash of metal and a bit more technical prowess in there. Even lyrically they are somewhat similar. Dream Theater's musicianship is just a bit more advanced. Not taking away from Steve Walsh however, who definitely kills James LaBrie in the vocal department. I still like the album a lot, 8/10.
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17.06.2009 - 10:07
Rating: 10
BloodTears
ANA-thema
Written by Elio on 16.08.2008 at 15:11

Another Day = Filler??????????????????????????????????? omfg


Who said that? Let's kill him lol
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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17.06.2009 - 10:20
tulkas
el parcero
Written by BloodTears on 17.06.2009 at 10:07

Written by Elio on 16.08.2008 at 15:11

Another Day = Filler??????????????????????????????????? omfg


Who said that? Let's kill him lol

I'm in too
How can that song be a filler? First time I heard that sax... those lyrics... wow! Filler my ass
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love is like a jar of shit with a strawberry on top
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17.06.2009 - 15:16
Rating: 10
Dream Taster
The Enemy Within
Written by tulkas on 17.06.2009 at 10:20

Written by BloodTears on 17.06.2009 at 10:07

Written by Elio on 16.08.2008 at 15:11

Another Day = Filler??????????????????????????????????? omfg


Who said that? Let's kill him lol

I'm in too
How can that song be a filler? First time I heard that sax... those lyrics... wow! Filler my ass


I still stand by it, it is a good song and I like it but it holds nothing special compared to the other songs on the album. Keyword in my sentence was 'it MAY be considered a filler'.
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17.06.2009 - 17:41
Rating: 10
BloodTears
ANA-thema
Lol it's you! In that case I can't kill you, because your reviews are very good. The world would miss them.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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17.06.2009 - 23:29
tulkas
el parcero
Whoops! Well, I guess we can forgive you, haha
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love is like a jar of shit with a strawberry on top
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25.09.2009 - 10:16
Rating: 9
Quinaitor

Written by Deadmeat on 09.05.2009 at 23:48

My first and probably last progresive album. it is boring as the walking of a tortoise...


i mean man are you serious?... well shame on you that your soul won't appreciate the perfection of progressive music D=
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Metal is flowing through my veins...
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25.09.2009 - 21:49
Rating: 6
Deadmeat
Necrobutcher
Written by Quinaitor on 25.09.2009 at 10:16

Written by Deadmeat on 09.05.2009 at 23:48

My first and probably last progresive album. it is boring as the walking of a tortoise...


i mean man are you serious?... well shame on you that your soul won't appreciate the perfection of progressive music D=

i dont mind... my soul has appreciated many other styles and i can stand this loss!
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Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
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21.12.2009 - 18:37
Rating: 10
macraigma

Take the Time ....
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"Now for the weak an abortion
Celebrate perfection that grows
The flesh, a gift of science
The soul a fault of a god"
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02.03.2010 - 18:19
x-avier

DT will never be the same w/o KEvin Moore. If you know about music, all this atmosphere he produced and the feeling the songs had where because of him. Also on this albums all of the band members used to write lyrics which since train of thought is just portnoy and petrucci. Kevin will not be skilful as jordan, but the feeling that he inserted to his music and the way he connected the progressive and the melodic is something that DT will neve found again.
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08.09.2010 - 00:57
Sephiros7

Another day and surrounded are far from cheesy. Every DT album always has a song or two that are more on the poppy side. DT has stated numerous times in response to people asking about them saying they've always been fans of pop so you'll always hear an element of it on a song or two on each album. Far from cheesy though ;-) Good review otherwise though. (Sorry cheesy and DT don't belong in the same review haha!) "And from an ivory tower hears her call! Let light surround him!"

Strange how this became their most successful album too especially considering how incredibly far they've come since then musically and talent wise. This album was and is still today lightyears ahead of 90 % of bands muscianship wise but their newer stuff is even more complex and crazy.
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08.09.2010 - 01:29
Sephiros7

Written by x-avier on 02.03.2010 at 18:19

DT will never be the same w/o Kevin Moore. If you know about music, all this atmosphere he produced and the feeling the songs had where because of him. Also on this albums all of the band members used to write lyrics which since train of thought is just portnoy and petrucci. Kevin will not be skilful as jordan, but the feeling that he inserted to his music and the way he connected the progressive and the melodic is something that DT will neve found again.


I think you're confusing the various record label's DT has signed with as the "atmosphere" Kevin brought to the band. He was really uninspired and left of his own accord really early on. During the making of the Awake album the band cited him as disconnected and very distant, not very involved in the writing process before he finally said after the album was complete it would be his last with the band because this was not the music he wanted to create. The "atmosphere" which I know what you mean, is purely DT's writing style / 80' 90's era / combined with record label influence. Portnoy has been quoted numerous times stating the entire band felt very supressed and almost forced on many labels early on, hence why they had a new label practically every album.

The only difference in the writing process for DT was on the album's Octivarium and Systematic Chaos where Rudess and Myung were less present in the writing process, however Labrie was still very active in the writing of the melody and lyrics. However on Black Clouds Myung and Rudess stepped it up once again for their input on the creative process (first time since Train).

Dream Theater's first album without any label influence on the sound of the record was Scenes from a Memory. Portnoy said for the writing process of Scenes they finally had full 100% writing freedom and if the album didn't sell it would be DT's last, sort of "all in" if you will. Obviously Scenes was one of their best if not "thee" best album ever so every album afterwords they have had full creative freedom. But that "Petrucci / Portnoy" myth is only a rumor. Granted they are without a doubt the brains of the operation and the main writers of DT they're not the "only" ones. And Kevin had almost little to no influence on the band at all. Maybe some 80's keyboard sounds that was it. Rudess, with respect to Moore, is lightyears superior in musicianship and writing ability.
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08.09.2010 - 03:36
Kap'N Korrupt
Account deleted
Kevin Moore was a very technical keyboardist...much more than Rudess in many cases and way before Rudess! Dream Theater wanted to use Moore more for atmosphere on Awake and that's where the communication breakdown and grandiose misunderstanding came in! Kevin misunderstood what the rest of the band wanted from Dream Theater during the Awake album! He could have brought a lot of technical prowess to atmosphere! Awake was really a whole other level of Dream Theater evolving into something new and I personally think that Moore misinterpreted that and THAT left him feeling disconnected...Rudess does atmosphere with technical prowess and soloing and that's where Dream Theater's keyboard work went, no?
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09.09.2010 - 02:21
Introspekrieg
Totemic Lust
I don't think Dream Theater has had a keyboardist I didn't like...
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08.02.2011 - 04:19
Rating: 9
Mountain King
K i K o
Another Day is cheesy and a filler? just because it's like a ballad somehow doesn't mean it's cheesy. It's one of the songs i really like by DT and i don't like many songs by this band for some reason and i guess it's LaBrie...
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30.01.2012 - 02:25
Cuca Beludo
Account deleted
I could listen to some progressive metal, I don't have this costume.. Let's check out!
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24.08.2012 - 03:08
Rating: 8
Ace Frawley
The Spaceman
I thought there was a guest appearance by KENNY G the first time I heard track 2 "Another Day". Catchy song and very uplifting but a very long way away from metal.
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The sun shines over The Fool...
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24.08.2012 - 03:16
Rating: 10
Dream Taster
The Enemy Within
Written by Ace Frawley on 24.08.2012 at 03:08

I thought there was a guest appearance by KENNY G the first time I heard track 2 "Another Day". Catchy song and very uplifting but a very long way away from metal.


You sir made my day [and with such a true observation too]
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08.01.2013 - 06:26
ScnD361

Another Day and Surrounded fillers??, I think these songs are one of the best ballads (or semi-ballads) I ever hear from DT.
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28.05.2014 - 20:30
RedOctober
Account deleted
Written by ScnD361 on 08.01.2013 at 06:26

Another Day and Surrounded fillers??, I think these songs are one of the best ballads (or semi-ballads) I ever hear from DT.


Second you... another day was my favourite song once...
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03.12.2018 - 23:10
Rating: 10
BlankFile

It remains one of the most influential Progressive Metal records of all time and one of the best ever for sure. It´s perfect from start to finish. Every song is a killer, in this one. "Surrounded"´ is still my absolute favourite Dream Theater song.
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